War of the Doctor
by Mister Why
Summary: Follow-on story to 'Deca and the Doctor'. Having faced down the Master, the Doctors are now faced with an event of astronomical implications. But while their past and future assemble a greater force to combat the threat, an ancient power listens to the tale of the one to save them all. Co-Written with CGD.
1. Author's Note

**Hey there, Guys and Gals!**

**Been a while since I've done this, but at last we have another instalment to offer you. That 'we' being myself and the wonderful CGD. **

**As readers of my other story **_**Must Never Be Told**_**, and readers of CGD's own series, will be aware; this is the concluding tale following on from **_**Deca and the Doctor**_**.**

**For any new readers, I'd thoroughly suggest giving **_**Deca and the Doctor **_**a read, which can be found on CGD's page. If you have read neither of our works, it may help to at least red the end of **_**The God Complex**_** and the first story in **_**Must Never Be Told**_**, just to provide a background from which you can follow the story. I know it's a drag, so it's only a suggestion.**

**Anyway, enough from me. Hope you enjoy, and please leave a review if you do.**


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

The Lord President did not like to be disturbed.

Of course, a leader's work never ended, and there was always something going on in some corner of his realm which required his attention.

But be that as it may, the Lord President would gladly put the Castellan's head on a pike for bustling him away from a meal with his granddaughter. On the one night he had set aside, to honour her graduation from the academy, away from the stifling ritual of family and friends. Rituals of the very culture he was meant to represent, and did so only begrudgingly. Surely the council must understand that a man must have time for rest, for fun, no matter the position he holds.

Although, with hats like that, he doubted it.

His robes floated angrily in the breeze made by his haste. The Seal sat majestically on the over-elaborate headpiece, set into the gold and deep red cloth. That silly helmet or hat or whatever it was supposed to be lay forgotten back in his chambers. He allowed the air to flow through his greying hair, rebellious even in the highest office. Already he could hear the protests of the uptight council members. But his support from the Shobogans was sure to rise.

"What is it? What do you want?" He demanded, bursting through the doors into the empty hall of the Panopticon. The lavishness of the interior stretched out around him, voice echoing eternally with those of Presidents before him. Those words would be held in the Matrix for all time.

Three of his highest advisors stood patiently in wait. They expected his crotchety mood, his anger at being called away, but they each felt they could justify it.

"Lord President, we have heard the most disturbing news." The vice-president, Koschei, reported, bowing before his friend and leader. They had known each other since childhood, and while Koschei had been somewhat reckless in those days he had learnt to curb his behaviour into a well-rounded personality. Charming, clever, loyal. And not afraid to point out the stupidity of the President's decrees.

"There's always disturbing news, lad." The Lord President responded, pulling Koschei back to his feet. There was something different about him, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Well, what is this news? My food is getting cold and there are games to play. Arkytior has an Earth one in mind… _Monopoly,_ I think it's called."

"I'm afraid, Lord President, that your dinner may have to wait." Mortimus added. He was still young and thin, not as assaulted by the stress that hounded the other ruling members daily. "We have news from Karn."

"Karn?" The Lord President repeated questioningly. "Those witches? I thought they were too busy guarding the Eternal Boredom."

"Well, they were roused from their isolation by horrible visions." Mortimus continued. "And there are similar reports from the Celestial Intervention Agency. Apparently the Ood-Sphere is equally panicked. And the Nivoli have been troubled lately, making more incursions to Polarfrey in protest. Even the Gelth have expressed fear."

The Lord President meandered up to the throne as he was told this. He sat down heavily, wearily. It would be a long night.

"Mortimus, it's all very well you telling me races across the cosmos are distressed. If you could tell me _why_ they are distressed, that would be better." He said, twisting a ring on his finger. A gift from his wife, on the occasion of his first child's looming.

Mortimus faltered, before looking to the others. Ushas was similarly vacant for the answer. She, after all, was head of the Health Service. No one seemed to know why she had been called here, including herself. Magnus stood off to the side, seemingly uninterested in the news. And Morbius was not even present to give his views.

Only Koschei appeared forthcoming with the answer.

"Sir, we do not know. None of those species would tell our agents. Not a single word has been spoken by any of them." He said, standing tall where others shied. "Only the remnants of the Pythia have proven cooperative. Ohila said one of them willingly entered the Sisterhood's halls."

"Splendid." The President said dryly. "Are they still using blood magic and sacrificial traditions?"

"They're not sterilising entire species anymore." Ushas commented, somewhat bitterly.

"Nevertheless." Koschei continued. "I took the initiative, and the Pythian is being transported here as we speak."

There was uproar amongst the other council members. Several voices conveying the same ill opinions in a hectic and uncoordinated fashion. They could decide the path of a planet, but were unable to decide who spoke first. The irony of friends.

"Quiet down." The Lord President said, his calm and low volume command silencing his fellows. "I am less keen to have a Pythian lie-weaver enter this hall than any of you. But if the hag can shed any light on this evening ruining conundrum, I will happily take it. After all, as Mortimus said, my dinner is getting cold."

The doors to the Panopticon were flung open as Morbius marched grandly into the chamber, flanked by two Castellans dragging a huddled figure in chains. She looked like nothing but sticks and rags, the tattered cloth becoming all the more desperate compared to the finery of the people around her. Her bare feet slapped ungracefully against the marble floor. Those sounds too would also be archived by the Matrix. Whatever haggard face she had was masked by the long, lank hair which curtained her eyes as she stared down.

She was thrown unceremoniously at the feet of Koschei.

"The filth you ordered." Morbius spat, nudging the girl with his feet cautiously.

"Thank you, Morbius." Koschei replied almost too kindly. "Do post your men outside the chamber. We have high business going on."

Morbius narrowed his eyes, before waving the Castellans away. He stood at attention behind the Pythian, hand at his belt, itching for his sword. Koschei nodded to the President, indicating the point where he took over the role of investigator.

"Name?" The Lord President sighed, almost guilty at the state of the young woman. It was not her fault she had been born to the Pythia, but then again, any child born was despised on this world.

"No name." She sang quietly, face still to the ground.

"No name?" The President asked.

"No name." The Pythian repeated.

Looks were cast between each of the council members.

"In the hall of Rassilon, Omega and the Other; for enquiry and to be recorded forever in the Matrix as you speak, do you agree to tell us the truth of what your people have seen?" The President recited, still uninterested. Any cosmic disturbance could be handled pretty quickly.

"Dances." The Pythian whispered.

All eyes were now on her. A pin could be heard dropping in that silence.

"I beg your pardon?" The President asked, eyeing her with interest. Half-mad, but interesting.

In a sudden flurry of dirtied garments, the Pythian swept upwards, skinny body supported by skinny legs and waving her skinny arms insanely. Still no one moved, except Koschei. He stepped back in mild fear.

"He dances in the vortex!" She cried happily. "Trots through time and the universe! A true Lord!"

"Who?" Koschei asked, looking at the President's studious gaze.

"That is the question!" She replied. "The only question worth answering! The oldest question. Who dances through the vortex. The miracle man, the one to save us all."

"Shall I have her removed, sir?" Morbius asked spitefully. The wraith of a girl had no right being here.

"No, no." The President said. "Let her speak until she says nothing new."

The Pythian's eyes focused on the President now, flinging beams of madness into his own vision.

"He will save us all. That miracle man." She didn't move another muscle. "Reality is his garden as the temple is his home. When the insects and creepy crawlies try to devour the garden, and every garden besides that, he will stand tall. His life is bound to ours. And ours are bonded to his. But the crawlies, they will harrow him. They will tarnish the garden. Fight with themselves and others until time is sere, until we are sedge and that man falls."

"I see." The Lord President said after a moment of silence. "And what is this miracle man called?"

"No name!" The Pythian yelled, leaping back and down the steps. "Who is the question!"

"The question?"

The Pythian nodded manically.

"Then who is he? The miracle man." The President pressed. "'The man to save us all'. A god? A gardener? A weed killer?"

She hunched over slightly, timidly motioning him closer with a finger, as if she was frightened to approach him. Against his better nature, he stood and approached her. He leant down when she urged him closer, to whisper in his ear.

"A Doctor." She breathed.


	3. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_"We have to hurry," he said, reaching into his pocket and to retrieve his key when a rumbling began. "You need to get back to your universe before…"_

_The bright sunlight suddenly blackened as an unnatural night fell across the land. All illumination died momentarily, until a damp yellow began emitting from the TARDIS window. In the dun glow, it was possible for each member of the group to make out the others, through eerie shadows were cast on their faces._

_"Before what; Doctor?" Kara asked in the stillness._

_Above them, red waves weaved through the dark sky, flecked with all shades of orange, yellow and maroon. They danced evilly together; rippling from horizon to horizon. Some seemed to bulge in place; momentarily swelling like a blister ready to burst. Until one did._

_The first time, a bronze saucer floated into the sky as if a curtain was being pulled away to reveal it. Elsewhere; a towering pillar descended from the waves, followed by a fleet of spherical space ships and a clawed orb. Wheel like crafts then arrived in another region of the air, before more swelling released tens, hundreds, possibly thousands of ships of varying size. Each one shot out a beam, a spotlight, into the ground around the time travellers, highlighting them. Then they stopped._

_"Before that," One of The Doctors said._

"Doctor, what is that?" Kate asked; staring at the thousands of crafts above them.

"It's an army." The Cutaway Doctor replied cautiously. "And I think they've seen us."

"Good thing I have this then." the Trilby Doctor smirked; reaching into his pocket and producing his silver bodied, red topped, sonic screwdriver. He activated the device and the columns of light shining down on them seemed to dull.

"What have you done?" Kara asked.

"Linked the sonic into Old Manners here's TARDIS and expanded the ship's faulty perception filter around us." the Trilby Doctor explained; pocketing the device proudly.

The Cutaway Doctor smiled at his counterpart using less lethal methods. "That was a good pl-" One of the bronze saucers opened fire. Two blasts of energy hit the perception filter and it crumbled instantly. "-an. Well that failed miserably. Lasted longer than I expected."

"Oh shut up!" the Trilby Doctor snapped, wheeling around to his other life.

A third blast flew towards the ground; Kara jumped backwards as the earth underneath her feet was torn apart. The Cutaway Doctor dived towards the 1963 London Police Box, slid the key smoothly into the lock and pushed the door wide open. "Everyone in!"

War erupted in the skies as the group dove into the time machine. The circular ships flew through the air and moved in a swarm to advance on the bronze saucers which spun lazily. The large columns moved around in a circular formation, trapping the bronze ships while opening fire. Bolts flew in all directions, colliding with the towers, the small pods and the ground.

A wheel-like craft moved into the path of the TARDIS, shielding it from a potentially deadly shot. A gaping hole opened in its hull, ruining the systems. It positioned itself into a kamikaze strike, advancing through the firepower to collide with a saucer. Both ships fell.

The saucers were eventually outnumbered, quite possibly ten to one in terms of firepower, but were relentless.

Lights danced across the artificial night sky, caused by the space time defect, as ships began to burn and fall out of the sky. After a mere few seconds, ships began to drop to the ground, craters etching themselves into the earth.

* * *

The Cutaway Doctor slammed the doors shut and activated the lock as the Trilby Doctor dashed to the console, his long black coat flapping behind him as he moved. Moving quickly, the Trilby Doctor activated the shields and turned them up to maximum.

"I counted Daleks, Sontarans and Judoon up there," The Cutaway Doctor announced as he jogged over to the clockwork-console.

"You missed the Cybermen," The Trilby Doctor replied

"Cybermen? Really?"

"Yes, but the real question is what are they doing here?" The Trilby Doctor asked. "I mean the Daleks I can understand, they see something powerful and they gravitate towards it, but the Sontarans, Judoon and Cybermen; it just doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe they've come to stop the Daleks?" The Cutaway Doctor suggested. "I mean races from alternate realities are pouring out; they could be completely different from the races in our universes."

"What are you two talking about?" Kara asked as the two Doctors conversed over two opposite sides of the console.

"The red lights; it's the cracks in the dimensions." The Trilby Doctor explained shortly. "They've widened so much that they have breached other universes and all life forms are moving between the gaps. All the advanced lifeforms appear to be converging on different universes, meeting their inter-dimensional counter parts; some might declare an alliance where as others might start wars. The ships above are aliens from another time, another universe and clearly they know us as I doubt they'd fire otherwise."

"So what are we going to do?" Kate asked as the floor began to shudder; even with the shields up to 'maximum' the TARDIS was shaking from the exterior bombardment.

"We need to retreat." The Trilby Doctor said; his hand resting on a cold crystal control.

"Run away." Kara remarked.

"No we are tactically retreating until we can come up with a plan and the resources to take down the colossal armada that hangs in the air above Medieval Colchester!"

"Running away."

"No, it's not."

"I'm in favour of both." Kate chimed, dodging down to the lower level beneath the console platform.

"Can you two please stop?" The Cutaway Doctor sighed; moving towards the coordinates input controls. "Flirt later. Now if I'm correct, and I usually am, we should be able to pilot our way through the dimensional fracture and move through back to my universe."

"Why would we need to do that?" The Trilby Doctor snapped. "It's just unnecessary."

"Listen, Doctor, I'm sorry but right now the safest place is my universe. The TARDIS is set to follow Procedure Seven."

"How can you say that? You haven't even seen it yet!"

"Doctor, just do as he says." Kara interjected.

"Where would we even go?" the Trilby Doctor asked; still annoyed.

"The safest place I know." the Cutaway Doctor replied; turning to call down to Kate. "Ridge Nook."

The Cutaway Doctor slammed down a leather lever; activating the ship. The time rotor began to move and wind; the engine wheezing and groaning. He locked the coordinates with a flurry of fingers and kept the ship stable.

The Trilby Doctor activated the scanner and looked at the screen, "We're nearing the dimensional rift…this is going to be painful."

"Oh, stop moaning and live a little." The Cutaway Doctor grinned; pushing down another lever.

The console room bucked and shook as the capsule rocketed into the dimensional tear. The shields held up under the strain as the ship moved through dimensions. The two Doctors moved about the console; activating any and all stabilisers in an attempt to steady the ship.

"It's a bit bumpy." Kate remarked as she was thrown backwards into the Doctor's armchair.

The Trilby Doctor went to make a snide comment when he noticed Kara glaring at him. He closed his mouth and went back to manning the console. The Cutaway Doctor jumped in front of the scanner screen and peered at it. "We're nearing the opening. Come on Old Girl; you can do it."

A violent jolt moved through the control room and both Doctors were thrown onto their backs; Kara hit the stairs and Kate slumped back into the arm chair, feeling lucky that she had landed in the softest surface.

The engines let out a sound of relief as they settled down and the vessel landed. The Trilby Doctor plucked his hat off the floor and rose to his feet; groaning as he moved. The Cutaway jumped up, dashed down the stairs and helped Kate out of the chair, acting like a true gentlemen, turned and ran back to the console.

"Is everyone okay?" The Cutaway enquired; surveying the books lying across the floor, tables upturned and chairs upside down. What a mess.

"Ah, my back." Kara moaned as she staggered to her feet; holding the banisters for support. "Why can't we have a soft TARDIS? You know, like a kid's play areas?"

"We can certainly look into it." The Cutaway Doctor mused with an uneasy smile. He pulled the scanner screen towards him and peered straight at it. "Good news Kate, we're right outside your house and it appears…your mum's in. And your dog. Really hope she doesn't mark her territory on the TARDIS."

"Oh great," Kate smiled. "You do worry about the TARDIS and Dogs."

"It's demeaning to the Old Girl. Well what are you standing there for?" The Cutaway asked. "Get out there! She's waiting!"

"Thanks." Kate said; turning and bolting out of the doors.

Kara made her way over to the Trilby Doctor who was leaning on the console and staring into the time rotor. "Doctor? Are you okay?"

"No I'm not." The Trilby Doctor replied. "I can't…I can't feel her."

"Feel who?" Kara asked; confused.

"The TARDIS." he replied. "My TARDIS."

Kara looked at him. His eyes; he'd never seen him look like that. It was sadness, not just being upset but real…depression.

The Trilby Doctor looked up at Kara, "This is your fault. You told me to do as he said. Well I've done as he's said and now I'm alone!" He punched the console with a grunt. "I'm alone!" He turned away from the console and walked up the stairs. He leant against the banisters and sighed.

"Doctor, please calm down." Kara pleaded.

"No!" he bellowed. "The TARDIS is a whole universe away from me! The TARDIS isn't just my ship or my home or my friend; the TARDIS is part of me and now that part of me is missing!"

"Come on let's step outside for a bit; some fresh country air could do us all a little bit of good," The Cutaway Doctor said; trying to diffuse the situation. The Trilby Doctor turned and began to walk off.

Kara went to walk after him when the Cutaway Doctor softly caught her shoulder in restraint. "Don't, just leave him."

"Doctor, I'm going outside!" Kara shouted after him. "Are you coming?"

"No." The Trilby Doctor replied bluntly; disappearing into the TARDIS.

"Are you doing anything in particular?" The Cutaway Doctor called after him.

The Trilby Doctor turned and stormed back into the console room. "I'm going down to the work shop to make a recall device for my TARDIS since you did leave it in another dimension!"

"Doctor, you need to calm down!" Kara insisted.

"Oh, whatever!" The Trilby Doctor barked, pivoting on the spot; his coat moving in a circle behind him. With a mumble, he stomped back off down the corridor.

"Sorry about him." Kara sighed.

"No don't be." the Cutaway Doctor replied; dipping his fingers into the silk pockets of his Egyptian waistcoat. "I'd be the same if I had to leave my TARDIS behind…well not as expressively angry but you get the point."

"I really don't get why you two don't get along better." Kara said. "You are the same person after all."

"That, my dear, is one of life's impossible questions," The Cutaway Doctor turned and walked towards the doors. "Now come on, let's leave Mugsy to be alone. You should have seen us in our teens. My God, we were moody."

"I heard that!" Shouted the Trilby Doctor from the bowels of the ship.

"Of course you did" The Cutaway Doctor sighed. With a push of the hand; he opened the door and stepped outside. Reluctantly, Kara turned and followed; she wasn't sure what was 'up' with her Doctor lately, he was being so…childish.

* * *

"Kate!" Sally Dennis cried upon seeing her daughter exit the Police Box. It had appeared just beside the stable, and looked the little worse for wear. Its blue veneer was coated in a layer of grime, smouldering at the edges slightly, as if it had been burnt.

Liz bounded over to her happily, nearly knocking her over in sheer euphoria at being reunited. Before the Doctor, that behaviour was generally punished due to Kate's crippled leg. But now it wasn't thought of, and she was much more resilient to the dog's force.

"Hello Liz." Kate said, petting the animal lovingly before hurrying across the yard. "Mum! How long has it been? Is it still the day I left?"

The mother and daughter hugged, as if they had been separated for far too long. Kate found it not too dissimilar to greeting a loved one at Heathrow airport.

"The same day? Lord no. It's been a month since I last saw you." Her mother said, cheerily but masking sadness and relief. "You came with the Doctor and one of your other friends for dinner."

Kate furrowed her eyebrows at this news.

"I've been back before?" She asked. To her, this was certainly the first time she had seen her Mother since leaving after the Ursaform; nearly two weeks ago. She definitely hadn't been back, and definitely not accompanied by someone else.

"You've visited quite a few times, why?" Sally replied, concerned.

"I've- I haven't seen you again yet." Kate answered, not seeing the missing wall from the Werebear's attack had been replaced.

The pair turned at the sound of the TARDIS door swinging open. The Doctor, Kate's Doctor, exited with Kara, who seemed to be shocked and confused over something. Kate looked to her mother, wondering whether Kara had been the accompanying person in her future. However, her mother's lack of recognition denied this fact.

"Mrs Dennis! Hello! Nice to see you again." The Doctor said, doing a somewhat awkward air kiss on either side of her face.

She looked at him studiously.

"What happened to your eye?" She asked, almost glaring.

The Doctor glanced at his faint reflection in a nearby window, realising his face was still bruised around the eye. The only remnant of his confrontation with the War Chief. Somehow, it had faded quite quickly, but was still noticeable. He looked to Kate briefly, seeing that the mark on her face was almost non-existent. The TARDIS must have sped up the healing process.

"Accident with a Champagne bottle." He lied, with a humorously abstract and deflective air. "I foolishly ignored Kate's advice to point it away from myself."

Sally nodded wearily, before looking at Kara. The Irish woman wasn't quite sure what to do in this situation. She was well aware a War was beginning to rage somewhere, and that her Doctor was brooding over the loss of his TARDIS ironically deep inside another version of it. And here she was, about to introduce herself to the mother of a friend from a parallel universe. When had her life become this mad? Oh yes, with a blue box in the cargo bay.

"Hello!" She said, attempting cheer.

Kate's Mother just looked puzzled at her presence.

"Kate, who's this?" Sally asked, keeping her eyes on Kara.

"I'm Kara." She said for herself. "Kara Landy."

"She's a friend. Friend of the Doctor's too." Kate explained briefly, not enjoying how tense her mother had become.

The Doctor and Kara looked between each other, questioningly for a moment. They knew Kate meant the Trilby Doctor, but they still seemed to evaluate their own relationship. Neither had spoken to the other about their personal lives, but they shrugged together and silently agreed they were in fact friends.

"Oh no." Sally said quietly.

All the others turned to face her, immediately worried by those two words.

"There's another one of you isn't there?" She asked the Doctor. "Another Doctor somewhere here."

"In the TARDIS, being a sulk. Why?" The Doctor replied, struggling to maintain his façade of concerned indifference.

"Then it's happening."

"Mum, what's happening?" Kate asked, much more open of her fear. Her mouth was already aghast of this untold secret.

Sally looked between the three with an air of defeated defiance. It was as if she had been silently praying something wasn't going to occur, not in her lifetime, like a child panicking that global warming would suddenly destroy the world tomorrow. An event she had previously thought would not happen.

"The first time you came back." Sally began. "When you came home, the Doctor told me a story of one of your adventures, and how he had been so scared. You said this… scenario was in a constant flux, impossible to predict. You told me that if it ever happened, I had to tell you what it was."

"What was it?" The Doctor asked, his voice cracking slightly as his face fell through to terror. Like he knew what she would say.

Sally looked to her daughter briefly before answering.

"The Time War."

A gasp escaped the Doctor, and a single tear ran down his face. Kate knew what the War was, what it had meant in his past. She had no idea how it applied to the current events. Kara saw that gleam, a sheen of depressing determination that her Doctor wore every time he faced a powerful threat or thought of a past battle.

Without another word, the Doctor turned on the spot, and marched briskly back to the TARDIS. His tails flapped in the breeze, his arms swinging quickly. He clicked his fingers, shocking the doors into action before disappearing inside and slamming them behind him.

Kate watched on, not realising she was crying herself at how broken he had looked in those brief moments.

* * *

"Have mercy! Have mercy!" screamed the Supreme Dalek as the Cybermen boarded the main deck. The Dalek forces had been crushed and the Supreme Dalek was all that remained. A shield surrounded the ship; the Dalek could not use the Emergency Temporal Shift and his weapons were offline. He was helpless.

"Cybermen do not have mercy" the Cyber Leader announced as he arrived onto the bridge. "Your battle computer and subsequent files have been duplicated. Your fleet has fallen. You will die. Delete." He powered up his cannon and fired. The Dalek died instantaneously; screaming from inside its metal shell. He turned to the Cyberman next to him. "Alert the Cyber Planner; the Dalek Fleet Fifteen-Delta has been deleted."

"Affirmative." The Cyberman agreed; turning and walking off the bridge.

"Cyber Units; scan all Dalek Ships for any known life forms." the Cyber Leader commanded. "Any and all life forms found that are not allied or innocent will be deleted."

"We obey." the all replied in unison. "Delete! Delete! Delete!"

* * *

The doors to the empty hall burst open as the short commander entered. His blue armour was smeared with dirt and dust and other remnants of the battlefield. A short but successful air strike, followed by a land combat had him in high spirits. Victory was perhaps a long way off, but he relished in it all the same.

His scanner beeped frequently as he neared the centre of the room, locking onto leftover radiation.

"There you are." He said triumphantly, removing his domed helmet.

"Sir!" A Lieutenant cried, entering the room flanked by three soldiers. "All Dalek ships have been disabled. The Cybermen are currently searching through them for useful materials."

"Very good." Commander Strax agreed, downloading the information from his scanner into an info-stamp. He marched to the nearest Private Soldier. "Transmit these readings to the rest of the Alliance. Then call a meeting with Captain Tybo and the Cyber Planner."

"Yes sir!" The soldier cried, taking the info-stamp and marching urgently out of the hall.

"What are the casualties?" Strax asked the Lieutenant, troubled over the incoming news by his days as a medic.

"Fifty-four pods were destroyed, we have found nine survivors." The Lieutenant reported. "Command ships twelve and thirteen have suffered engine and shield damage, few deaths."

"Send the Command Ships to the clone-world for repair. Collect the survivors for healing, we need every soldier available. Have three more Command Ships rendezvous with the rest of the Alliance en route to Zygor." Strax ordered without thinking.

"Yes sir!" The Lieutenant replied, marching out the rest of the soldiers to enact those orders.

Strax looked around the room one last time before going to help them.

* * *

The Alliance flagship, a Cyber-Vessel, was buzzing with activity. The wounded had been teleported to the ship to be treated by medical units while the three Commanders had assembled themselves on the observation platform on the lowest deck.

"That was fun. Nothing like a short, sharp battle to get the blood pumping." Strax smiled as he entered the bridge helmetless. The Cyber Planner sat in his chair; wires connected to different parts of his metallic body. It didn't move. It could have been formulating countless chess moves it was that indifferent. The Judoon Commander Tybo turned his large head, which could be related to a Rhinoceros of the planet Earth, to face the small soldier.

Tybo set his translator for English, the language designated for the meeting, and stared at Strax, "You're late." He grunted simply.

"I'm sorry," Strax replied. "I was tending to my soldiers; that's not a crime."

"Silence." the Cyber Planner boomed; cutting them off. "Message from the leader is incoming."

The two soldiers walked over to a large screen which was coming to life in a blur; the Cyber Planner stayed motionless in his chair.

No picture came through; only hissing static which was compensated to near silence by the on hand Cybermen. There was a crackling on the other end, as a microphone was passed from hand to hand before a voice rang out of the speakers.

"Commander Strax, Captain Tybo, Cyber Planner," The General said; greeting them all. "I hear the Battle has gone well…even if you have left the rest of the fleet in questionable hands."

His voice was aged and regal, but supremely tired. He didn't have to speak loudly to be listened to, with that calm, measured quality which made him a natural commander.

"View screen has been compromised. Why is this?" The Cyber Planner demanded, almost sounding upset.

"I'm afraid the new candidates for the Alliance are lacking signal. This is a very remote part of Earth after all." The General replied, his voice giving an unfittingly light tone when compared to his usual darkness.

"They sound capable of war." Strax commented.

"We have found the second aperture of the dimensional tear." the Cyber Planner replied, getting down to business. "Subspace frequency and residue harmonics are identical to those found on San Helios."

"So we have found the source." The General surmised. "Do we know the rate of expansion?"

"Negative."

"We have sent the data to the Physicist boy in the Zygor fleet. It seemed fitting to make sure the information was safe." Strax explained.

"Well chosen." The General commended. "We will hopefully meet up with the rest of our ships to find the results. And Strax?"

"Yes sir?"

"That Physicist is a girl."

"Source of expansion identified." Tybo interrupted, his low voice breaking over Strax's correction. "Voidship activation."

"Wonderful." The General moaned. "Just what we need. Do we know why?"

"The Doctor." Tybo said simply.

"The Doctor? Why would he damage the fault lines of the universe? He should know the impact of a Voidship."

"He was here!" Strax exclaimed. "We saw him. The Daleks tried to kill him but the Doctor managed to escape."

"Doctors." the Cyber Planner interjected.

"What?" The General asked.

"The Cybermen detected one TARDIS, two Time Lords and two humans. The scans were disregarded as they also picked up what you would call a 'Class One Lifeform'." Strax criticised.

"Regardless: there were two incarnations of the Doctor present." The Cyber Planner insisted.

"Two Doctors…that could be good or bad." The General replied. "But it certainly explains things. The Time Lords aside; the Alliance has amassed a greater force on Earth."

"Humans?" Tybo asked uneasily.

"Sir, the humans of this time period are weaker and less well equipped then that 'UNIT' you're fond of." Strax said, almost spitting the words.

"No, not the Humans. They're not capable of space travel. There's another race which have agreed to the cause." The General assured. "I'll be with you shortly."

"Geometric disturbances on the Planet below" The Cyber Planner interrupted.

Strax and Tybo approached the edge of the platform, looking through the glass onto the fields. The ground visibly shook, violently uprooting trees and shaking the wrecked spacecrafts apart. Ruptures in the earth began to spread, webbing around quite a large area. One enveloped the castle, which promptly fell into the fissure. As the various cracks met, that fell open into the ground, revealing several large, spherical scaffolded ships. Three or four rose from the single opening, and the pair saw several more rising on the horizon.

"Incoming Teleport." The Cyber Planner reported, unfussed about the situation.

Several figures began to phase into existence, gaining the attention of Strax, Tybo and most of the Cybermen present. Most of the new arrivals were green, scaly in appearance. They dressed in grey tunics, metal masks covering their faces. Each held a single blaster.

At the lead, beside the three leaders stood two men. One was of the same race as the others; though robed in a red jacket and without a mask. His blue eyes flicked over the Sontaran, the Judoon and the Cyberman, judging them briefly. A forked tongue brushed briefly over his thin lips.

He knelt down before them.

"I am Commander Maltac, of the Silurians." He declared. "I bring the wishes of my race to join your campaign, agreeing to the terms set out by your leader."

The three turned to look at the other figure. He stood out amongst the other species as a human, though none were deceived by his appearance. Short though he was, he carried a purposeful, commanding air while appearing relaxed. His hair was shock grey, slicked into peaks. A scruffy beard covered the lower portion of his wrinkled face. He wore filthy, worn clothes; a brown, chipping jacket, a stained waistcoat and a bandolier across his chest.

"Accept his proposition, gentlemen." The war-experienced man, their leader, instructed. "And tell me how many Doctors we have now."


End file.
